Khachkar Studios has long held to a simple yet powerful belief: those entrusted with much must do much. That principle now takes tangible form through the New $10,000 EMPOW Awards, a grant program designed to uplift and expand Armenian Christian media.

Inspired directly by the biblical Parable of the Talents, these awards offer more than financial support. They embody a philosophy of stewardship—one that calls on creators to turn their spiritual gifts into action and impact.

Starting in June 2025, Khachkar Studios will award up to $250,000 across the year to individuals and teams producing content that meet the EMPOW pillars: Engaging, Motivational, Powerful, Originality, and Wisdom. These five characteristics define the EMPOW standard, forming a clear and aspirational rubric for what Christian media can and should be.

The awards are part of a historically unprecedented $10+ million “Good News” initiative that also includes grants for churches and ministries, all unified by a mission to double the number of Faithful in the U.S. Armenian community—from 3% to 6%.

To accomplish that, Khachkar Studios is doing more than funding programs—it’s reshaping the narrative. The studio’s internal KPI framework tracks actual attendance and engagement, offering a clear line between investment and spiritual return.

Award-winning content will also gain widespread exposure, not just within the Armenian community but across general media platforms. The highest-rated content will be incorporated into educational tools for mentoring Christian role models—a form of content legacy-building.

Khachkar Studios stands in sharp contrast to broader philanthropic norms. While other foundations have contributed only 2% of their funds to religious activities over two decades, Khachkar Studios is making faith its cornerstone.

In a media environment often defined by negativity, the New $10,000 EMPOW Awards offer a radically different proposition: use media to share the good, to teach the wise, and to uplift the soul.

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